MACON — Mercer University had 11 students chosen during the fall 2024 selection cycle to receive a total of $36,000 in funding to study abroad through the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship program.
- Nichole Harris, a senior civil engineering major, will participate in a Mercer On Mission summer program in Belize.
- Keyana Hunt, a junior law and public policy major, will participate in a spring break, faculty-led program in Paris.
- Jean Hyun, a junior biology major, will participate in a Mercer On Mission summer program in Vietnam.
- Destinee Jackson, a junior political science major, will participate in a spring break, faculty-led program in South Korea.
- Alex Marshall, a junior law and public policy major, will participate in a Mercer On Mission summer program in South Africa.
- Lindsay Murray, a senior mechanical engineering major, will participate in a spring break, faculty-led program in South Africa.
- Amann Patel, a junior biochemistry and molecular biology and philosophy double major, will participate in a Mercer On Mission summer program in Vietnam.
- Abiola Soboyejo, a junior biomedical engineering major, will participate in a Mercer On Mission summer program in Vietnam.
- Rayhan Stapleton, a sophomore biomedical engineering major, will participate in a Mercer On Mission summer program in South Africa.
- Emma Tew, a sophomore psychology and Spanish double major, will participate in a Mercer On Mission summer program in France.
- Rukiyat Thompson, a senior biomedical engineering major, will participate in a spring break, faculty-led program in South Korea.
“Since 2018, more than 150 Mercer students have used the Gilman Scholarship to participate in international programs, where they have had life-changing experiences, such as fitting prosthetics on amputees in Vietnam, helping communities access water in the Dominican Republic or studying philosophy in Greece,” said Dr. David A. Davis, director of fellowships and scholarships. “Our institutional success with this award reflects both the caliber of Mercer students and our commitment to making these experiences available to all students.”
Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000 — or up to $8,000 if they are also a recipient of the Gilman Critical Need Language Award — to apply toward their study abroad or internship program costs.
Mercer has been recognized as both a Gilman Top Producing Institution and a Gilman Greatest Growth Institution for its role in broadening the student population that studies abroad overall, as well as in areas of priority achievement.
“This scholarship program is a transformative opportunity for Mercer students and opens doors to international experiences that may have otherwise been out of reach,” Global Education Programs Coordinator Bryan Johnson said. “The Gilman scholarship application process is straightforward and accessible, and I hope this cohort of students serves as an example to other students to show them how accessible global opportunities are to every student in Mercer’s community.”
About the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program
Since the program’s inception in 2001, more than 44,000 Gilman scholars have studied or interned in more than 170 countries around the globe. Supported by the U.S. Congress, the Gilman Scholarship is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is aided in its implementation by the Institute of International Education. To learn more about the Gilman Scholarship and its recipients, including this newest cohort, visit gilmanscholarship.org.
Feature photo: Mercer University recently awarded 11 students with Gilman Scholarships. Among those students are: (l-r) Alex Marshall, Keyana Hunt, Emma Tew, Jean Hyun, Nichole Harris and Abiola Soboyejo. Photo by Leah Yetter
